Would you take Smallwood over Te'o?

[johnhuskies95]

I've always thought that Te'o is a bit overrated, but maybe that's just my anti-Notre Dame bias speaking.

 

[Doggie Style]

He's getting absolutely exposed in this game!!!! I didn't hear his name until the 2nd qtr!!

 

[BlueDogs]

Watched in a few games and did not find him to be that dominant. Nothing like an AJ Hawke type. He is solid but not a great player. Tao is being handled by more physical players.

 

[FDNY99]

He got handled pretty good by our ol and backs when he was a freshman. He is a good lb who can cover...but dominate game changer he definitely is not.

 

[BlueDogs]

Y

He got handled pretty good by our ol and backs when he was a freshman. He is a good lb who can cover...but dominate game changer he definitely is not.

Yup.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Let the NFL draft be your guide. Will be interesting to see how high each player goes.

 

[uconnbill]

The defensive line was blown out by Bama all night long. He does a better job when he is free to make plays than when he is being blocked like he was tonight.
I think he will have a good NFL career as he is a three down linebacker and he is of high character which will aid him at the next level. My guess someone takes him in the top 8-10 in the first round. He is not a bust but at worst solid and at best and All Pro

 

[UConnDan97]

Yes.

 

[UConn4ever]

He's getting absolutely exposed in this game!!!! I didn't hear his name until the 2nd qtr!!

I heard it in the first quarter but only for missing some tackles.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Te'o is one of the most overrated player of the last 10 years. I don't know whether I'd take him over Smallwood or not, but it's not a ridiculous question.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

He got handled pretty good by our ol and backs when he was a freshman. He is a good lb who can cover...but dominate game changer he definitely is not.

If he was on the field that November in '09 . . . yeah, he did. Absolutely a blocking sled that day . . . but then they all were.

 

[Husky1964]

HE will NOT be taken in the 1st 10 players of the 1st round.

 

[huskysupporter]

HE will NOT be taken in the 1st 10 players of the 1st round.

Agreed. He is a 3-4 inside backer. I cringed when the Packers took AJ Hawk over Hloti Ngata in the top 5. Very similar player to Teo, and just as overhyped coming out of OSU. Watch Hawk v. The 49ers this weekend. Brutal.

Teo was an above average college linebacker. He will not be as successful in the nfl.

And if we are talking nfl prospects, i would much rather have Smallwood. Can play ILB and OLB in 3-4, very underrated rusher.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I would take Te'O now, but I think Yawin is better if you compare them at this stage. Yawin was better as a sophmore than Te'O was.

 

[Scoe]

Id take Smallwood on my Giants, we need a pass rusher Osi and Tuck are done. The Giants need to do what Seattle has done, which is cater a defense around stopping mobile qbs most notably RG3. Speed on defense and Oline is an absolute priority.

 

[BHusky]

I would take Te'O now, but I think Yawin is better if you compare them at this stage. Yawin was better as a sophmore than Te'O was.

How do you justifiably make that statement? Assuming it is based on stats, Te'O had more production than Smallwood his Soph season. Not trying knock you, just curious how you could make that statement.

Te'O will probbaly not go top 10, but he will be a top 20 drafted player. I see him as Teddy Bruschi in the NFL which I would take in a heartbeat in hindsight as a first rounder. He is slightly heavier and faster than Bruschi was, but their real strength is team leadership (nobody can argue he is an unbelieveable leader) and being opportunistic. Te'O had good production (100+ tackles Jr & Sr yr), not great, but made plays when it mattered (7 Int's in 2012). He is a 3 down LB who sometimes gets overpowered by OL and needs a solid DLine to be able to roam and makle plays. This was Bruschi in a nutshell and I am sure all 32 NFL teams would take that any day of the week with a middle 1st round pick.

 

[uconndogs]

I think Te'O is a fine college football player, but his hype is largely as a result of being at ND. Smallwood may definitely have more upside. Just my suspicion, but I think Smallwood can play bigger, maybe 240-245 at the same speed. I think he's likely to be the best LB UCONN has ever had by the time he is through. He and Sio litterally took over some games last season.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

How do you justifiably make that statement? Assuming it is based on stats, Te'O had more production than Smallwood his Soph season. Not trying knock you, just curious how you could make that statement.

Te'O will probbaly not go top 10, but he will be a top 20 drafted player. I see him as Teddy Bruschi in the NFL which I would take in a heartbeat in hindsight as a first rounder. He is slightly heavier and faster than Bruschi was, but their real strength is team leadership (nobody can argue he is an unbelieveable leader) and being opportunistic. Te'O had good production (100+ tackles Jr & Sr yr), not great, but made plays when it mattered (7 Int's in 2012). He is a 3 down LB who sometimes gets overpowered by OL and needs a solid DLine to be able to roam and makle plays. This was Bruschi in a nutshell and I am sure all 32 NFL teams would take that any day of the week with a middle 1st round pick.

Not based on stats at all (which costs me some credibility). I based that statement on the 3 or 4 games I saw Te'O play a couple of years ago vs. seeing every game Yawin has played. I think he moves better and reacts better than Te'O at that stage. Could be wrong, not a argument I was going to the mattresses over lol

 

[noeynox]

I'm going to go with Yawin on this one. I'd be willing to bet his GF's are REAL.

But BHusky is right that Teo, sure is opportunistic!!!

 

[IMind]

What this whole Te'o thing has shown me is that we absolutely have far to many Notre Dame football fans on this board.

 

[Dann]

Halloween costume idea: Tell everyone you're coming to a party. Don't show up. You're Manti Teos girlfriend